# Raiders pay Michael Mayer before Week 1

> Las Vegas handed its 25-year-old tight end three years and up to $45 million days before the season opener.
- Title: Raiders pay Michael Mayer before Week 1 · Newsweek | Shortify
- Summary: Las Vegas handed its 25-year-old tight end three years and up to $45 million days before the season opener. The Raiders are betting on Mayer's upside, not…
- Keywords: nfl, raiders, michael mayer, contracts, tight ends, pay, Michael, Mayer, Week, Newsweek
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/sports/nfl/raiders-lock-up-offensive-weapon-to-45m-extension-before-week-1-12435610
- Author: Michael DeRosa
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nfl, raiders, michael mayer, contracts, tight ends
## Deal lands before kickoff
Las Vegas signed tight end Michael Mayer to an extension just ahead of the Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins.
## Three years, $45 million
ESPN's Ian Rapoport reported the deal runs three years and is worth up to $45 million, with $30 million guaranteed.

> a three-year contract worth up to $45 million, with $30 million guaranteed
## Paying for the next step
Mayer is 25 and the Raiders moved fast. The bet is on what he becomes, not what he has already done.
## Last season was steady
He played 13 games in 2025, catching 35 passes for 328 yards and one touchdown. Useful, not yet a centerpiece.
## A second-rounder's three years
Taken 35th overall in 2023, Mayer has 83 catches, 788 yards and three touchdowns across 38 career games, all with Las Vegas.
## Now the pressure starts
With the money settled, 2026 becomes the year Mayer has to look like a $15-million-a-year tight end.
## Key takeaway

The Raiders are betting on Mayer's upside, not his production so far, and locking in the price before he raises it.